Project Synopsis
Refinery compliance support with the OSHA Process Safety Management and EPA Risk Management Programs, including the development of process safety information (PSI).
Project Summary
PROCESS SAFETY MANAGEMENT (PSM) COMPLIANCE SUPPORT
The client established a challenging timetable for achieving refinery compliance with the OSHA Process Safety Management and EPA Risk Management Program. In order to meet their schedule, the client contracted Process Engineering Associates, LLC (PROCESS) to provide process safety management compliance support. PROCESS’ tasks included:
- Providing process engineering support for the Hydrodesulfurization (HDS) / Reformer Unit Process Hazards Analysis (PHA).
- Developing process safety information for all refinery production units which included:
- Calculating maximum intended inventories of process materials
- Determining adverse material interactions and documenting them in the form of material interaction matrices
- Writing process descriptions, including detailed information on process chemistry as applicable
- Developing safe upper and lower operating limits documentation
- Summarizing pressure relief valve (PRV or PSV) design bases.
PROCESS provided an engineer knowledgeable in refinery operations to serve as the process engineer for the HDS/Reformer PHA. Maximum intended inventories were generated via in-house computer technology that uses unit operation design and materials physical property data to calculate and summarize liquid inventories for all production units. The material interaction matrices summarize the health and safety consequences associated with interaction between process materials, utilities materials (steam, air, nitrogen, etc.), materials of construction, and personnel. The process descriptions include detailed summaries of refinery unit inputs and outputs, unit operations and their functions, the flow of materials through the units (including major temperatures and pressures), process chemical reactions (including illustrations) as appropriate, and the primary process variables that affect operation and product quality. Finally, the design bases for all process unit relief valves were summarized in spreadsheet format. This information formed the basis for a subsequent relief valve requirements and capacities evaluation performed by Process for the client.
PROCESS’ execution of this project resulted in several benefits to the client: (1) PROCESS’ performance on this project shortened the client’s implementation schedule from a projected 12 months to approximately 6 months; (2) by utilizing PROCESS’ engineers, the client maintained manpower flexibility for its process engineers, thus minimizing this project’s impact on refinery operations; and (3) the documentation generated from this project not only brought the refinery into regulatory compliance but also provided refinery personnel with several training tools relative to refinery operations.
Industry Type
- Petroleum Refining
Utilized Skills
- Regulatory compliance support
- Process Safety information development
- Material interaction matrices
- Chemical reaction and process operation documentation